The author is a Forbes contributor. The opinions expressed are those of the writer.

Loading ...

Loading ...

This story appears in the {{article.article.magazine.pretty_date}} issue of {{article.article.magazine.pubName}}. Subscribe

(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

When Gallup announced 70% of the U.S. workforce was either disengaged or miserable in its 2013 State of the American Workplace Report, perhaps it was not an astounding revelation in a new world of work governed by uncertainty.

A Snapshot

Work overload, lack of career advancement, stagnant salaries, an increasing skills-gap and the complexity of a hi-tech global marketplace have all arguably played a roll in an underwhelmed and sometimes stressed-out workforce. After all, 65% of workers cite work as a significant source of stress, with one-third of workers chronically stressed (APA 2013).

Looks like the business community is looking more closely at well-being as a performance driver in the workplace. A salvo of scientific research in stress and creativity, along with statistics reflecting big business’ desperation to retain and engage talent, challenged the traditional business model. Read more: Well-Being Jettisons To Critical Performance Metric In Workplace.

3. Work-Life Balance is Under Hi-Tech Pressure

The work-life merge seems to be gasping for some air under the exponentially expanding ocean of technology. In Glassdoor’s third annual Top 25 Companies for Work-Life Balance, the jobs and career community found that 24/7 technology was making it “tougher to maintain a healthy work-life balance.” Read more: Glassdoor: Digital Exuberance Hampers Work-Life Balance

4. Employee Wellness and Morale As Potential Profit Drivers

The work-life balance debate roars on. Should employees lean-in or lean-out these days? Perception is everything, most recently at Arianna Huffington’s #ThirdMetric conference. Defining success and a workplace culture are important variables in the new world of work. A survey by Virgin HealthMiles Inc. (now Pulse) and Workforce Management Magazine, suggests as much. 77% of employees responded that “health and wellness programs positively impact the culture at work.” Read more: Challenge 2013: Linking Employee Wellness, Morale And The Bottom-Line